Junsu heard the commotion before it came unto him. There were shouts from the door and he recognized the King’s voice. Frowning, he closed his book, his mind wondered as to what might set the King to be so furious. Had something happened at the Court? Or was it at the Council?

The Council. A cold fear gripped him as he realized what might have gone wrong. He had not spoken with the King regarding Lord Seunghyun’s new promotion, for he had not met the King yet. He had sought an audience, but was told that the King had urgent matters to attend to, and thus could not meet with Junsu. That was three days ago. But he never thought that the King would not be happy. He was only helping the King, after all.

The door was slammed open before he could prepare himself of what might come. The King walked through it, his face hard. Yoochun and Eric trailed behind him, worried expression on their faces and it looked as if they were trying to calm the King down, although it was obvious that their efforts were unfruitful for the King was still furious.

Junsu stood to greet his husband and bowed, arms crossed in front of him. “Greetings to you, my Lords.”

“What are you doing?”

Junsu lifted his head with confusion and was met with the unforgiving stare from the King. “My King?”

“You are a Cardonnan now, and as one, you should follow the customs. Quit bowing like a Sevaecian fool, for you are no longer one of them. You will follow our traditions and customs. Now bow again, the Cardonnan way.”

Anger sparkled inside him. He was a Sevaecian prince and he took pride in that. Why did the King suddenly order him to follow Cardonnan custom? Junsu was raised in the beautiful Kingdom of Sevaecia with its warm climate, and as such in his mind, he was a Sevaecian first, Cardonnan second. He would never be a Cardonnan if he was given a choice. He knew not how to respond to the King, too angry to make a move. And so he just stood there rigidly, feeling humiliated and embarrassed.

“Well? Go on, bow,” taunted the King.

Junsu looked away, not wanting to succumb to this humiliation. He felt his cheek flushed with anger. Never in his life he had felt so humiliated, so disrespected and all this came from the man he married to. Disgraced tears burned at his eyes but Junsu willed them away.

His blatant show of refusal began to anger the King, for the King spoke in harsh tone. “If you wish to live in Cardonna, you ought to behave as one.” 

The words were poisonous in Junsu’s ears and he tried his best not to flinch when the King stepped up to him, anger written on his face. “You dare defy your king? You refuse to act as a Cardonnan now? I will not have it. I will not allow you to form your own Sevaecian circle with your wretched friends!”

Junsu looked back at the King, stubborn determination glinted in his eyes. “I will not act as a barbarian, even if it costs me my life.”

“Barbarian? You speak of us, of your own kingdom, as barbarian?” 

“It is never my Kingdom,” Junsu hissed back.

Then the King lifted up his hand. Junsu barely had the time to realize that the King meant to hit him. His eyes widened, disbelief and shocked filled his mind. How unbelievable it was that the King, his own husband, would be willing to give him harm. Junsu stood frozen as he waited for the blow to come.

At that moment, Yoochun stepped forward hurriedly. “My King, please do not harm him.” The hand stopped in mid air, and Junsu saw Yoochun breathed in relief. “The King’s Consort meant no ill will. Perhaps he had spoken without thought, but he meant well.”

The King whirled around and his anger fell to the Chief Advisor. “Meant well? He called us barbarian and you dare say that he meant well?”

“The King’s Consort is not well-learnt yet in the tradition and customs of our great kingdom.”

“That is not a reason to speak such words.” He turned to Junsu, a condescending smile on his face. “Perhaps my Consort does not wish to learn our customs, and yet he is willing to form his own Sevaecian circle, even meddling with The Barbarian Court.”

Junsu felt his worst fear had come true. The reason as to why the King was terribly angry was due to Lord Seunghyun’s new position. An act Junsu had thoughtlessly did to help his King and yet it yielded an opposite result. He did not mean to meddle with the Court, he knew it was not his place to do so.

And yet, a selfish childish side of him reasoned: The King did not even bother to ask Junsu why he did that; he just assumed Junsu did it to form his own circle of friends. Junsu wanted to laugh at the thought. Didn’t the King know? Junsu had no friends. 

The anger inside him suddenly rekindled. His husband, someone who was supposed to care for him, had so easily accused him to commit an act of treason. He assumed that Junsu had no loyalty and no honor. But Junsu was no such person. He was a royal prince from Sevaecia. He had his own honor, his own pride and now his pride spoke that he would not be treated this way. Damned with the consequences. 

Thus Junsu lifted his head and glared at the King challengingly. “I am a Sevaecian prince and I refused to be bowing and be talked down like a slave. As to meddle with the Court, it was never my intention. I only wanted to help and if the King failed to see that then I do not think I can persuade the King to believe otherwise.”

“You dare to speak against your King?”

“I only have one King and it is not you.”

As soon as those words escaped his lips, Junsu regretted it almost instantly. He did not mean to go that far, but anger and pride had blinded him. He looked at the King, and could only watch as a flash of disappointment crossed on his husband’s face. It was immediately replaced by cold anger and the King straightened his back, choosing a more regal posture.

Apology was at the tip of his tongue, but Junsu could not speak them in time for the King’s face grew hard. “I see,” he said, his voice cold and unforgiving. “Well then, at last you’re being honest.”

By then Yunho the seneschal appeared. “I apologize for intruding my King, but an envoy from the House of the Golden Flower wishes to see you, he has urgent news from Lord Jaejoong.”

“I will see him in the throne room,” the King replied. He looked at Junsu and said, “Very well Prince Junsu, if you insist, then you can keep your Sevaecian customs with you. I will not have you wear any robes and cloaks from Cardonna.” With that, the King moved towards the door. However before he was out from Junsu’s sight, he looked back and said, “Since you said that you wish to visit Cair Andros, we ride on the first light tomorrow.”

Junsu watched helplessly as the King walked away through the door. He heard him spoke, “Send words to Cair Andros, tell Jaejoong to prepare for the scouting party, I imagine we will be hunting Orcs down the moment we arrived. Those creatures are getting bolder and bolder.” The door then closed with a dull thud, it resonated in the empty room. 

Orcs. Junsu felt his blood went cold. In his anger, he had momentarily forgotten of the Orcs and the Kingdom of Kuveth.Oh Junsu, what in the name of Valar have you done? he chided himself, there was a bigger picture other than your foolish, careless act. And now you have outwitted yourself.

And yet Junsu was not a fool. As much as the King hated him, he knew the King would not send him back to the Kingdom of Sevaecia. They both needed the alliance and the marriage might not be as harmonious as it looked, but it was necessary for the well being of their people. This alliance would be fruitful regardless of what Junsu and the King acted around each other. Both kingdoms had sworn loyalty to each other and they would help one another in their time of need. 

Junsu took a deep breath. What was done cannot be undone. The King had spoken. They would journey to Cair Androstomorrow and in such cold weather too. He even said that Junsu would not wear any cloak and robe from Cardonna, which meant he would only be wearing the thin fabric from Sevaecia. Those would not be enough to guard him from the cold.

Junsu blinked back his tears now and he would too tomorrow for he was determined that he would not cry in front of these Cardonnans, especially not in front of the King. They might have treated him unjustly but he would not give them the satisfaction to see him cry. Furthermore, he had made his bed and he would have to lie in it, for he had spoken without thinking.

But that night as he lay alone in bed, tears started to pour down. Junsu curled under the heavy covers and sobbed harder, for this might be the last time he could cry. 


-End of Chapter Six-


Glossary:
Valar = gods